He has $1510 available each month for payments and $9300 in company stock and upcoming bonus money available.

Here are some highlights of what readers have suggested:

1. Use a 0% Interest Card

Transfer all the credit card debt to a 0% interest card and decide on a set amount to pay each month. -John

Get a 0% credit card and put $14,300 on it. Pay himself $1166 each month into ING. Pay minimums on the card each month out of the ING account and pay the remainder off next year right before the 0% comes due. This will allow him to earn interest on the money, stop throwing away interest, and avoid selling company stock.

2. Make Equal Payments

Treat each account as if it was an installment loan and make equal monthly payments that should leave him with a zero balance at the end of four months. He can pay $902.51 each month on the personal line of credit, $586.55 a month on credit card 1, $1679.32 on credit card 2, and $492.95 on credit card 3. This is a total payment of $3661.33 each month. He ends up paying around $350 in interest on all the accounts over that time period. The main advantage to this method is that it’s fairly simple and everything is paid off at the same time.
– Jon

Five months of interest isn’t enough to sweat the details. The advantage is light at the end of the tunnel – a few months of serious ratcheting back then he’s done! It also seems silly to sell off stock in this short term plan, unless he absolutely cannot payoff otherwise and MUST be done by November. – Jay

3. Pay Highest Interest First

He should pay the minimum payments on the personal line and credit cards 1 & 2. He should sell his stock that he receives and use his bonus to pay off credit card 3 first. Then use the extra money to pay of the personal line, credit card 1, and finally credit card 2.

It’s best to pay off based on interest rate and not on balance or type. Why keep the stock? He won’t, on average, earn more on the stocks than he will be paying interest on those accounts. – Joshua

Use stock to pay off the personal line with the remaining $300 to credit card 4. Pay minimums to credit card 1 and 2 with the rest going to credit card 4. In August payoff credit card 4, and use the stock towards credit card 2 and 3. – deepali

4. Pay Smallest Balance First

Liquidate all non-retirement assets (including company stock and future bonuses) and throw it at the credit cards, in addition to any extra monthly money he can cash flow. Pay the credit cards off smallest balance to largest balance. – Frugal Dad

5. Avoid Future Debt

He should cut up all but one of his cards and decide to never carry a balance ever again. It sounds like he’s fairly intelligent so he should be able to do some ‘light’ reading to educate himself about debt and it’s compounding effects. – Brad

6. Subtract Charges Immediately

Once the cards are paid off, I would suggest on his rewards card that he wants to use for gas that when he charges an item to write it down in his check book (debit it) so that when the bill comes he has already accounted for the charges and the bill can be paid in full. – Dawn

7. Watch out for Tax Ramifications

One way would be to sell your stock, but you should be very sure of the tax ramifications of doing so before selling it. – Beating Broke in Debt Plan: My Dollar Plan Reader

My Thoughts

I’ll be back soon with a plan for him. All of these ideas are great, and I’m incorporating many of these points and some others. Stay tuned!

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Comments to 7 Ways to Payoff Credit Card Debt

Glad you mentioned that there may be tax ramifications due to the selling of stock. Tons of people are unaware that this could happen. Most people believe they just sell their stock and use that money towards debt. Everyone should read the fine print that comes along with their stock plans. Thanks for a great list.l

A friend told me about a website that anyone who wants to get their personal finance under control, should check out. It’s called OOTD, it’s a free online budgeting utility that is very functional and totally anonymous.

I started using it about 2 months ago, and it’s too good to be free. Two columns, one for the master budget and one for my actual current month, end of month reports to my e-mail with one click, and modifiable categories too.

I wish I was reading blogs like this a few years ago. I wouldnt be in the shit I am now, owing more than $1,200,000 to friends, family and banks. I would know all the right steps, I would get motivated and inspired… Now all I have left is my site, which is more an example of what to avoid in life, rather than a cry for help…

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